South Korea opposition leader convicted of violating election law

By Hyunsu Yim

A South Korean court convicted on Friday main opposition party leader Lee Jae-myung for violating the election law, handing him a one-year prison term suspended for two years, a penalty that if upheld could jeopardize his bid to run for president in 2027.

After the hearing, Lee said that he would appeal.

"I will be appealing. Beginning with the basic facts, it is a conclusion that is difficult to accept", he said.

If his appeals fail and the prison sentence becomes final, Lee would be stripped of his parliament seat and his eligibility to run in any elections for the next five years.

Lee, head of the main opposition Democratic Party, who narrowly lost to President Yoon Suk Yeol in the 2022 election, faces at least four trials after being indicted on several criminal charges including bribery and corruption.

He was found guilty of breaching the election law by making a false claim during a parliamentary audit in 2021 while running as a presidential candidate about a land development project in Seongnam when he served as mayor, the court said.

In a statement explaining Friday's ruling, the Seoul Central District Court said spreading false information during an election process prevents voters from making the right choice and could harm democracy.

Prosecutors had sought a two-year jail term, though the suspended sentence he received means he will not go to prison even if it is upheld.

Lee is widely expected to seek to run in the 2027 presidential election. In January, he survived a knife attack when he was stabbed in the neck by a man during an event and underwent surgery.

His party then went on to score a landslide victory in a parliamentary election in April, dealing a blow to President Yoon and his ruling party.

When a smiling Lee arrived at the court, his supporters chanted his name as he entered, while a group of protesters also gathered nearby. When he left the court, he made a brief statement to announce his appeal.

Lee, who faces another sentencing hearing later this month over charges he abetted perjury, and his party have accused prosecutors of pursuing a politically motivated case against him.